It's another cold, damp day here in Michigan. The bushes in front of the house are apparently called forsythia and are blooming; the magnolia tree down the block is preggers with potential. I know what magnolia are from the movie.

Yesterday was a sisyphean day that ended on a high note (figuratively). I've been working on music for my grandma's funeral next weekend and have been struggling. I've come up with several 1/2-baked ideas that then appear infeasible or inappropriate by the next day. Last night, after working in one direction all day, I changed tacks yet again. (That metaphor is also good for writing music--sailing: sometimes tacking into the wind, sometimes going with it.) Around dinner, I had a beer and made a fire--one of the best of each I've had in a while. The beer I bought up here in Michigan, wanting to get something local but not wanting to resort to the ubiquitous Bell's. I got this beer from Ypsilanti from the Dark Horse brewery called "Amber Ale." And despite the lackluster name (or because of it), it was fantastic. I asked my homebrewer friend Russ about it, who said that Dark Horse is one of his favorite breweries. I vaguely remembered a post he did about the brewery on his homebrew blog. Turns out, the funeral is in Detroit, which is close to Ypsilanti.

So after the beer and the fire, I got back to the tiny room at the back of the house with a glass of scotch. And I think I found the right mood. We'll see how I feel today. I'm generally not a fan of drinking and writing, but sometimes your mind gets into a negative feedback loop, for which a nip of something alcoholic provides the appropriate escape.

So I felt like I was neglecting Netflix and so made a little quality time with me and the limitless stream. First, Arrested Development. So good. I hadn't seen any in years but could watch the whole thing all over again. Then, per suggestion from several friends and random encounters, Dexter. What? A show about a serial killer? He's more than just a serial killer, he's also a forensic cop who does blood evidence work. I agree with the people on Facebook: there should be a dislike button. Even if it weren't practically midnight, I would have found the show disgusting and revolting, from the surgical murder in the opening scene, to the discovery of dismembered parts, to the quick clip of a rape in an internet video, and on to to the next murder. No thanks.

So to cleanse the mental palette before bed, I turned to South Park. That shows just how horrible Dexter is. And the next one in line was about Cartman using his "psychic" powers to catch a serial killer. Geez, I can't win. So I watched the next one too, about the Woodland Critters Christmas special, which is making me laugh out loud right now as I type. Heilige Sheise. To sum it up: Stan discovers woodland critters about to celebrate Christmas and does their bidding until he realizes that they are about to bring forth the spawn of Satan and implant it in a human host. Watch it if you have 20 minutes. Even though it's not Christmas. Actually, it's probably better to watch this episode when it's NOT Christmas--even remotely.

Finally, sleep. And now to see if what I came up with yesterday is any good.